Document-file.



G. MOTT.

DOGUMENT FILE.

APPLICATION IILED JAN. 7. 1910.

Patented July 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-'BHEBT 1- all am-Hummus 1m: NORRIS PETERS ca, wnnnvmow, 04 c MOT'I'.

DOCUMENT FILE. APPLICATION FILED JAN 7. 1910.

964,1 1 '7. Patented July 12, 1910.

2 BKEETSSEEET 2.

26 l 30 J 2/ gg llll 3 I i l 51mm Garref Ma-H at NoRms PETERS C0,, WASHINGTON, c c.

"ran $TATES PATENT oEEioE.

GARRET MOTEL, or YONKERS, NEW YORK, AssIsNoE To THE UNIT STEEL CABINET COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DOCUMENT-FILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 7, 1910.

Patented July 12, 1919,

Serial No. 536,783.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARRET MOTT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of \Vestchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful In'iprovements in Document-Files, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in document files, and has particular relation to the structure of and manner in which the follower is mounted within the file.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a device of this character in which the box or receptacle has its bottom extending on a single plane, the connection of the follower and the holder or receptacle being located along the side of the holder, preferably adjacent the plane of the bottom.

A further object is to provide a device in which the follower is mounted within the holder in a manner to permit free movement of the follower longitudinally of the holder upon application of pressure approximating the bottom of the follower, the application of pressure above the bottom causing the follower to cant sufficient to provide a frictional engagement of the follower and holder to retain the follower against movement.

A further object is to provide a follower formed of metal and relatively thin, the follower comprising two members hinged together and normally retained at right angles to each other by means of abrace connection, the brace being formed in such manner that when the toggle is broken, one of the members of the brace will provide a support to retain the inclined position of the follower.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a structure which is neat and attractive in appearance, durable in structure, simple and eflicient in operation, and which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

To these and other ends, the nature of which will be readily understood as the invention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the figures,-Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a document file embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the follower tilted. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the brace. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view.

In the drawings, 10 designates the body of the file box, having a bottom 11, a front 12, and sides 13, the sides being preferably of the shape shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings; the sides are connected together by the bail 14. As shown, the bottom and sides are preferably formed of metal and are integral with each other, being bent at approximate right angles to each other. As shown in the several cross-sectional views, I provide a groove 15 along each side approximately on the plane of the bottom, the groove being formed by providing a beadlike portion at the bend of the bottom and sides. As shown these grooves are located entirely above the plane of the top surface of the bottom 11, although the wall of the groove is provided by bending up the bottom' into the bead-like configuration, with result that the bottom 11 extends substantially on a single plane throughout the length thereof, excepting at portions where it is reinforced by being bent upon itself, as, for instance, at the rear of the box or receptacle.

16 designates the follower which comprises a base plate 17, the vertical plate 18, and the brace 19.

The base plate 17 is in the form of a flat strip of metal, having its ends bent downwardly and outwardly, as at 20, in Fig. 4:, these ends forming slides adapted to rest within the groove 15, the plate 17 being of sufficient width to provide an extended length to the slide ends, and as will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, this downwardly extending end of the slide provides for retaining the base plate out of contact with the bottom to a degree sufficient to permit of its passage over the bent up portion of the bottom at the rear of the holder. The base plate is reinforced by two plates 21, secured to the base plate on its upper side adjacent the ends, these plates 21 forming at their forward end a portion of a hinged member 22, which is adapted to connect the base plate and the vertical plate together, the plates 21 being bent into the form of an eye adapted to receive a pin 23, which extends through the eyes of the plates 21 and of an eye 2% formed on the vertical plate 18.

The vertical plate is of a suitable height, and loosely fits between the sides of. the holder, and is preferably provided with peripheral beads 25, for the purpose of reinforcing the metal. The plates 18 may also be provided with a rib 26 to provide additional strength.

The brace 19 comprises two members, U- shaped in cross-section, and of different size in order that they may have a telescoping relationship, as indicated in Fig. 3. These brace members, designated respectively as 27 and 28, are connected to ears 29 carried by the plates 18, and ears 80, carried by the plates 18, the member 28 extending within the member 27 and being pivotally connected thereto, as at 31, at a point which will cause the two members to have the action of a toggle in order to lock the vertical plates againstcollapse when the toggle is unbroken. The member 27 is of such length that upon breaking of the toggle, the lower or free end of said member may be brought into contact with the bottom 11 and form a support for the plate 18 when the latter is moved to inclined position.

As will be seen, no provision is made be yond the clamping of the vertical plates 18, for providing a sufiicient inclination of the slides 20 to prevent longitudinal movement of the follower in the groove. The slides, however, are of such len 'th to cause such gripping contact of the slides and the groove when the holder contains documents, the

pressure provided at the top of the follower causing this inclining of the base plate 17. By grasping the rear of the follower adjacent the bottom of the brace, the follower may be moved longitudinally of the groove with freedom, whether the toggle be intact or broken. This permits of the movement of the follower closely into contact with the document being filed, and as the movement must be provided along the bottom of the brace, it will be obvious that the movement to close the follower upon the document will provide this inclined position of the plates suflicient to cause the necessary clamping engagement of the slides and grooved walls to retain the follower in the position in which it is placed.

It will be understood that by reason of the fact that the clamp of the toggle joint is disposed rearwardly and downwardly, by positioning the palm of the hand of the operator on the top of the vertical plate, the fingers will extend downwardly and rearwardly and be in a position to operate the toggle joint when the operator desires to open or to close it, and at the same time the fingers are in position to grasp the rear of the follower adjacent the bottom of the toggle joint, when it is closed, to lift the rear of the follower so that it may be moved relatively to the holder.

The advantages of this construction will be readily apparent, and owing, to the particular construction involved, and which is disclosed in the drawings, it will be obvious that I have provided a structure which not only is neat and attractive in appearance, but which is simple and eflicient in operation, durable in structure, and which can be readily made at a relatively low cost.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, the sides having longitudinal grooves in close proximity to the plane of the bottom, and a follower having slides movable longitudinally of the grooves, the front wall of the follower having a pivotal connection with the slides, said slides projecting downwardly below the normal bottom plane of the follower, whereby contact of follower and holder will be confined substantially to points along the bottom of the sides of the holder.

2. In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, the sides having longitudinal grooves in close proximity to the plane of the bottom, and a follower having slides movable longitudinally of the grooves, the front wall of the follower having a pivotal connection with the slides, whereby the follower may be canted, said slides projecting downwardly below the normal bottom plane of the follower, whereby contact of follower and holder will be confined substantially to points along the bottom of the sides of the holder, and means carried by the follower for supporting it when in canted position.

3. I11 a filing box, a holder havlng a bottom and sides, the sides having longitudinal grooves in close proximity to the plane of the bottom, and a follower having slides movable longitudinally of the grooves, the front wall of the follower having a pivotal connection with the slides, whereby the follower may be canted, said slides projecting downwardly below the normal bottom plane of the follower, whereby contact of follower and holder will be confined substantially to points along the bottom of the sides of the holder, and means carried by the follower for supporting it when in canted position, said means forming a stop to limit the canting movement of the follower.

4. In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, the sides having longitudinal grooves in close proximity to the plane of the bottom, and a follower having slides movable longitudinally of the grooves, the front wall of the follower having a pivotal connection with the slides, whereby the follower may be canted, sand slides projecting downwardly below the normal bottom plane of the follower, whereby contact of follower and holder will be confined substantially to points along the bottom of the sides of the holder, and means carried by the follower and adapted to rest upon the bottom when the follower is canted, for supporting the follower in said canted position.

5. In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, the sides having longitudinal grooves in close proximity to the plane of the bottom, and a follower comprising a base plate, a vertical plate, and a toggle brace connecting said plates, said base plate having its ends bent downwardly and outwardly to provide slides adapted to extend within the grooves and be moved longitudinally thereof, said brace being formed to limit the inner and outer extremes of movement of the vertical plate in moving to and from its canting position.

6. In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, the sides having longitudinal grooves in close proximity to the plane of the bottom, and a follower comprising a base plate, a vertical plate, and a toggle brace connecting said plates, said base plate having its ends bent downwardly and outwardly to provide slides adapted to extend within the grooves and be moved longitudinally thereof, said brace being formed to limit the inner and outer extremes of movement of the vertical plate in moving to and from its canting position, said toggle brace embodying two members pivotally connected together, said members each being U-shape in cross-section, and telescopically arranged at the point of hinged connection of the members.

7 In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, each of the sides having a laterally-extending groove, a base plate having slides, one at each side, adapted to travel in the grooves and to engage each of them at points at a distance from each other respectively, a vertical plate pivoted to the base plate substantially on a line connecting two of the said points of engagement of the slides with the grooves, one at each side of the base plate, and a toggle joint comprising two members, one of the said members being pivoted to the base plate at a distance from the pivotal connection of the vertical plate and substantially on a line connecting two other points of the engagement of the slides with the grooves, one at each side of the base plate, the other member of the toggle joint being pivoted to the .vertical plate and to the first-mentioned member of the toggle joint.

8. In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, each of the sides having a laterally-extending groove, a base plate having slides, one at each side, adapted to travel in the grooves and to engage each of them at points at a distance from each other respectively, a vertical plate pivoted to the base plate substantially on a line connecting two of the said points of engagement of the slides with the grooves, one at each side of the base plate, and a toggle joint comprising two members, one of the said members being pivoted to the base plate at a distance from the pivotal connection of the vertical plate and substantially on a line connecting two other points of the engagement of the slides with the grooves, one at each side of the base plate, the other member of the toggle joint being pivoted to the vertical plate and to the first-mentioned member of the toggle joint, the second-mentioned member of the toggle joint projecting downwardly below its pivotal connection with the first-mentioned member ofthe toggle joint to afford a support for the vertical plate when inclined rearwardly.

9. In a filing box, a holder having a bottom and sides, each of the sides having a laterally-extending groove, a base plate having slides, one at each-side, adapted to travel in the grooves, a vertical plate pivoted to the base plate transversely thereof, and a toggle joint comprising two members, one of the said members being pivoted to the base plate at a distance from the pivotal connection of the vertical plate, the other member of the toggle joint being pivoted to the vertical plate and to the first-mentioned member of the toggle joint, the second-mentioned member of the toggle joint projecting downwardly below its pivotal connection with the first-mentioned member of the toggle oint to afford a support for the vertical plate when inclined rearwardly.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GARRET MOTT. Witnesses:

DUDLEY R. LELAND, GEORGE S. WESTON. 

